Fungalpedia – Note 2613, Knudsenia
Knudsenia Y. Joshi.
Citation when using this data: Meng QF et al. – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Facesoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig 1.
Classification: Planistromellaceae, Botryosphaeriales, Dothideomycetes orders incertae sedis, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi
The monotypic genus Knudsenia was introduced by Joshi et al. (2023b) to accommodate the type species Knudsenia flavoparmeliarum Y. Joshi which colonizes the thalli of Flavoparmelia Hale and Flavopunctelia (Krog) Hale in India, causing some discoloration and necrosis in the host thallus.
Knudsenia is characterized by its lichenicolous lifestyle and inconspicuous galls. The stromatic ascomata have sterile brownish-black to black tissue, which reacts K+ magenta, N–, and I–. The exciple is distinct, and the hymenial gel is K/I–. Paraphyses are simple to sparsely branched and lack of pigmentation at the apex. The asci are bitunicate, elongate, clavate to subcylindrical, with an indistinct ocular chamber and a very short stalk, and are 8-spored, reacting K/I+ reddish brown. The ascospores are hyaline, spherical to ellipsoid at maturity, simple to rarely 1-pseudoseptate, I–, and lack of a perispore (Joshi et al. 2023b).
This genus was placed in Planistromellaceae (Botryosphaeriales, Dothideomycetes) based on morphological characteristics by Joshi et al. (2023b). Its phylogenetic position is unconfirmed due to the lack of molecular data.
Type species : Knudsenia flavoparmeliarum Y. Joshi (Joshi et al. 2023b).
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Knudsenia.
Figure 1 – Knudsenia flavoparmeliarum redrawn from Joshi et al. (2023b). a, b Section of ascomata. c Paraphyses. d Asci. e Ascospores. Scale bars: a = 200 μm, b = 50 μm, c, d = 20 μm, e = 10 μm.
References
Entry by
Meng QF, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand and School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Guizhou 563000, China.
Published online 16 June 2026